Quantification of upper limb kinetic asymmetries in front crawl swimming |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal;2. Research Centre in Sport, Health and Human Development, Covilhã, Portugal;3. Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal;4. Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal;5. Porto Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal;1. Madrid Swimming Federation, C/ José Martinez Velasco, 3, 28007 Madrid, Spain;2. Technical University of Madrid, Health and Human Performance Department, C/ Martín Fierro, 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain;1. Democritus University of Thrace, School of Physical Education and Sport Science, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Komotini, Greece;2. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Physical Education and Sport Science, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Thessaloniki, Greece;1. Aquatic Testing, Training and Research Unit, Australian Institute of Sport, Australia;2. Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, College of Sport and Exercise Science, Victoria University, Australia;1. Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;2. School of Allied Health, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;3. Swim Ireland Performance Department, National Centre (Limerick), University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;4. Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;5. High Performance Unit, Sport Ireland, Sport Ireland National Sports Campus, Dublin, Ireland;6. Physical Activity for Health Cluster, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland;1. Institut National du Sport du Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada;2. Swimming Canada’s Para-swimming Centre de Haute Performance – Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada |
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| Abstract: | This study aimed at quantifying upper limb kinetic asymmetries in maximal front crawl swimming and to examine if these asymmetries would affect the contribution of force exertion to swimming performance. Eighteen high level male swimmers with unilateral breathing patterns and sprint or middle distance specialists, volunteered as participants. A load-cell was used to quantify the forces exerted in water by completing a 30 s maximal front crawl tethered swimming test and a maximal 50 m free swimming was considered as a performance criterion. Individual force–time curves were obtained to calculate the mean and maximum forces per cycle, for each upper limb. Following, symmetry index was estimated and breathing laterality identified by questionnaire. Lastly, the pattern of asymmetries along the test was estimated for each upper limb using linear regression of peak forces per cycle. Asymmetrical force exertion was observed in the majority of the swimmers (66.7%), with a total correspondence of breathing laterality opposite to the side of the force asymmetry. Forces exerted by the dominant upper limb presented a higher decrease than from the non-dominant. Very strong associations were found between exerted forces and swimming performance, when controlling the isolated effect of symmetry index. Results point that force asymmetries occur in the majority of the swimmers, and that these asymmetries are most evident in the first cycles of a maximum bout. Symmetry index stood up as an influencing factor on the contribution of tethered forces over swimming performance. Thus, to some extent, a certain degree of asymmetry is not critical for short swimming performance. |
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| Keywords: | Symmetry Force Training Performance |
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